Speed control of internal combustion engines



G. H. PAULIN ET AL Filed oct. 14; 1931 l 2 sheets-sheet 1 SPEED CONTROL OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Fls.3.

Jan. 8, 1935.

WITNESS Jan. 8? 1935.

G.. H. PAULIN Er Al.r 1,986,846

lSPEED CONTROL 0F INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Oct. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS INI/E NToRs G.H.Paulm and F. H. Horner Patented Jan. 8, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SPEED ACONTROL F INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES George H. Paulin and Francis H. Horner, Rugby, England, assignors to The English Electric Company,Limited, London, England, a corporation of England Application October 14,

In Great Britain 17 Claims.

The present invention relates to the remote control of the speed of internal combustion engines by means operating on a variable governor setting, and lan object is to provide control of lthe ignition or fuel injection timing synchronized with the governor setting control. More particularly the invention relates to engines of the solid or airless injection type, and the application to this type is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan', partly in section, of the governing apparatus; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2222 of Fig. l, some parts in front of the line being shown in elevation, with theremote control apparatus shown diagrammatically and turned into the plane of the gapen and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3333 of I'he governing apparatus to which the invention is shown appliedcomprises a centrifugal g'overnor l mounted on a shaft 2 having a connection 3 for driving by the prime mover. The governor 1 operates through a lever 4 to rotate a shaft 5, and through the latter and a lever 6 and rack '1 to rotate a by-pass valve which controls the amount of fuel injected. A biasing force is applied to the governor by compression springs 8 and 9 acting through levers 10 and l1 `on the shaft 5.

The fuel injection pump 12 is-driven by an eccentric 13 on the governor shaft2, and the amount of fuel delivered at each stroke is determined by a reciprocating by-pass valve14. 'I'he latter is driven by an eccentric 15 mounted'on a shaft 16 geared to the shaft 2, through the medium of a rocker 17 working on a pivot 18 which is eccentrically mounted for a purpose hereinafter described. The by-pass valve 14 is provided with a helical cut-off surface 19 located in the fuel pump l suction passage, and rotation of this cut-off sur- 40 face by the above-mentioned rack.'7 determines the instant at which the effective stroke of the pump 12 finishes, and hence the amount of fuel injected according to the governing action.

'I'he foregoing description is of a known method 45 of governing direct injection internal combustion engines. The invention lies in the method of applying a remote control to the above described apparatus, and by way of example three predetermined speeds will be described; an idling speed, 50 full speed, and one intermediate speed. The gov,-

ernor setting for each speed is determined by the biasing forceapplied by the springs 8 and 9, and it will be clearthatthe above three speeds are possible with two springs, one or both being either at minimum or maximum compression,

1931, Serial No. 568,802 February 13, 1931 (Cl. 12S-140) hence a means of moving the abutment of a spring between two stops will enable full control to be obtainable, and fluid pressure e. g. the lubrication system of the engine, can be employed for this purpose.

The abutment for the spring 8 is formed as a piston 20'working in a cylinder 21 to which fluid under pressure can be supplied through the conduit 22. The outward limit stop for the piston 20 is shown as formed by the inturned edge 23 of 10 the cylinder wall. Similar equivalent parts 2427 are provided for the spring 9. For idling speed no fluid pressure is supplied toy cylinders 21, 25, and both springs apply minimum biasing force. For'full speed, fluid pressure` is supplied to both cylinders and both springs are fully compressed, and for intermediate speed one spring only is compressed. To enable the idling speed to be adjusted without affecting the intermediate speed, the spring compressed for the latter is provided with an adjustable stop for its minimum compres-. sion limit, and this is shown as a screw 28 in the cover of the cylinder 21. The minimum compression for the other spring may include zero compression, i. e. for idling and intermediate speeds, only one spring applies a biasing force;

To stop the engine, fluid under pressure is admitted through the conduit 29 to the cylinder 30 and acting on the piston 31 against a spring 32, moves rack 7 independently of the governor to rotate the helical surface 19 and open the by-pass to its limit, thereby releasing all fuel delivered by the pump.

Fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinders 2l, 25, 30, by means of piston valves 33, 34, 35 respectively, the valves being normally biased to open position wherebythe cylinders are placed in communication with exhausts 36. The valves are shown as electro-magnetically operated by means of solenoids 37,V 38, 39 respectively, the control for which may be at any remote point Two such points are shown diagrammatically having four switch positions, and it is necessary either that the switches be `interconnected so that they are always in corresponding positions or the switches interlocked so that not more than one can be moved from the off position at a time.

In position a no circuits are energized, no fluid pressure is admitted to any cylinders, governor springs 8 and 9 are at minimum compression, and the engine can then be started and will continue to run at an idling speed determined by the setting of stop 28. In position b solenoid 3'7 is energized and valve 33 moved to position Vshown to admit pressure fluid from the inlet 40 to conduit 22 and cylinder 21. Spring 8 is then fully compressed and the engine runs at a higher speed. In position c the switch arm bridges the contacts of. both b and c positions when in addition to solenoid 37, solenoid 38 is energized and fluid admitted to cylinder 25 to compress spring 9 to its `full extent. The engine then continues to run at full speed. To stop the engine, the switch arm is moved to position d to energize solenoid 39, whereby fluid is admitted to cylinder 30 and the fuel pump by-pass fully opened as previously described. After the engine has come to rest, switch arm is moved back to the open-circuit position a when the apparatus will be in readiness for restarting.

By means of a branch conduit 41 from the conduit 22, pressure uid is admitted to a cylinder 42 simultaneously with cylinder 21. The piston 43 in cylinder 42 bears against the end of a rod 44 which through the lever 45 rotates a shaft 46 carrying the aforementioned eccentricallyv mounted pivot 18 of the by-pass reciprocating rocker 17. 'I'he eifect of this will be to lower the position of pivot 18, thereby raising the average position `of the stroke of plunger 14, and causing the closing and opening of the fuel by-pass to occur at an earlier instant, thus advancing the timing with increase of speed. The limit of travel of the piston 43 is determined by an axially adjustable sleeve guide 47 for the rod 44, whilst an adjustable stop 48 is provided for the same purpose as stop 28. In the same manner as just described, a piston 49 acts simultaneously with the governor setting piston 24, in this case through a rod 50 and lever 51 to rotate shaft 46 further and adjust the injection timing for full speed. Shaft 46 is biased (clockwise asshown in Fig. 3) so that rod 44 or rod 50 rests on which of the pistons 43, 49, is uppermost.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that any number of speeds are possible by multiplication of the governor loading springs and their corresponding injection timing and remote control devices.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:-

1. In speed control mechanism for an internal combustion engine supplied with fuel by a pump having reciprocatory plunger and valve means, the valve means being defined by a cut-oif portion which is effective to prevent the escape of fuel oil during the injection portion of the plunger stroke, said cut-off portion varying in width circumferentially so that the injection period may be varied by turning the valve means, means for reciprocating the plunger and the valve means, means for. varying the timing of cut-olf of the valve means with respect to the plunger stroke, a movable element for turning the valve means, means for developing a force in response to engine4 speed and applying it to said movable element, a plurality of springs for applying a second force to said movable element so that the latter moves in response to the difference of forces, fluid-pressure means associated .with at least one of said springs for increasing the force thereof, and means responsive to the applied pressure for controlling said timing means.

2. In Aspeed control mechanism for an internal combustion engine including rotary governor weights, means forv resisting outward movement of the weights under the inuence of centrifugal force including a plurality of springs, spring force altering means associated with each spring and responsive to fluid pressure to increase the spring force, and selective mechanism for, controlling the application of uid pressure to the springs individually or in combination.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having means providing for variation in the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle, for interrupting the fuel supply, and for varying the timing; of a first pressureactuated device for interrupting the fuel supply; a governor driven by the engine and eifective to vary the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle, said governor including a pair of speed adjusting springs, second and third pressure-actuated devices, there being a pressure-actuated device for each spring, and each device including a movable element abutting its spring and movable to rst and second positions, the movable elements of the second and third devices being normally maintained in low spring compression position by the springs 'and lbeing movable to high spring compression position by fluid pressure; fourth and fifth pressure actuated devices connected to said timing means to secure variation in timing; and means for selectively applying fluid under pressure to the first pressureactuated device, to the second and fourth pressure-actuated devices, to the second, third, fourth and fth pressure-actuated devices, or to none of said pressure-actuated devices.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having means providing for variation in the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle and means for varying the timing thereof, of a governor driven by the engine and effective to vary the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle, said governor 'including a speed adjusting spring, a first pressure-actuated device having an element abutting said spring and normally occupying a rst position under spring pressure such that the spring acts under minimum compression and movable by fluid pressure to a second position such that the yspring acts under maximum compression, a second pressure-actuated device having an element movable in response to fluid pressure to change the timing, said last-named, element normally occupying a rst position and movable by fluid pressure therefrom to a second position to advance the timing, and means providing for the application of uid pressure to said first and second pressure-actuated devices and 4for the exhaust of fluid therefrom, the engine operating at idling 'or low speed with the movable elements of the pressureactuated devices in their rst positions and at a higher speed with such elements in their second positions.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 with adjustable abutment means cooperating with the movable elements of the rst and second pressure-actuated devices to determine andl set the low speed or idling position.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 4v A wherein the rst and second pressure-actuated devices are provided with adjustable abutments to determine the first positions of the movable elements thereof and wherein the second pressure actuateddevice is provided with an adn u u justable abutment to determine the second position of its movable element.

8. The combination withv an internal combustion engine having means for varying the quan-` tity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle and for varying the timing thereof, of a governor driven by the engine and operatively connected to said fuel supply varying means, said governor including first and second speed adjusting springs, rst and second pressure-actuated devices for the springs, each' pressure-actuated device having a movable element abutting its spring and maintained normally by spring pressure in a flrst position such that the spring is subjected to minimum compression and movable by fluid pressure from the first position to second position such that the spring is subjected to maximum compression, third and fourth pressure-actuated devices each having a movable element movable byvfluid pressure from a rst position to a secondposition to advance the timing, means providing for the movable element of the fourth pressure-actuated device securing greater advance than that secured by the movable element of the third pressure-actuated device, and means for selectively applying fluid under pressure to the first and third pressure actuated .devices, to all 'of the pressure-actuated devices, or to none of the pressure-actuated devices.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 8V wherein the rst and third pressure-actuated devices are provided with adjustable abutments to determine the first positions of the movable elements thereof.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the third and fourth pressure-actuated devices are provided with adjustable abutments to determine the second positions of the movable elements thereof so as to secure the desired timing advance in consequence of movement of each such movable element.

11. The combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the first and third pressure-actuated devices are provided with adjustable abutments to determine the rst positions of the movable elements thereof and wherein the third and fourth pressure-actuated devices are provided Withgadjustable abutments to determine the second positions of the movable elements thereof.

12. The combination with an internal combustion engine having means for varying the quaneffecting movement of said movable means from one position to the other andfor adjusting said timing means.

13. The combination with an internal combustion engine having means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle and means for interrupting the fuel supply; a first pressure-actuated device for rendering said interrupting means effective; a governor driven bythe engine and effective to control the fuel supply means, said governor including first and second speed-adjusting springs, second and third pressure-actuated devices for the first and second springs, respectively, and each having a movable element abutting its spring; and control means operative to control the application of fluid under pressure to said first pressure-responsive device or to none, one or both of the second and third pressure-responsive devices.

14. The combination with an internal combustion engine having means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle, of a governor driven by the engine and effective to control the fuel supply means, said governor including speed-adjusting spring means, movable means for adjusting the compression of the spring means, spaced abutments limiting motion of the movable means to provide a low spring compression position and a high spring compression position for the latter, and means providing for movements of said movable means completely from one position to the other each time an adjustment is made.

l5. The combination as claimed in claim 14 wherein the spring means is comprised by a pair of springs and'\wherein' the means providing for movements of the movable means is operative to provide for low compression of both springs, high compression of one and low compression of the other spring or high compression of both springs.

16. The combination with an internal combustion engine having means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cycle, a governor driven by the engine and effective to control the fuel supply means, said governor including a plurality of speed-adjusting springs, pressure-actuated devices including movable elements abutting the respective springs, and means for controlling the application of uid under pressure to part or all, of said pressure-actuated devices.

17. The combination withlan internal combustion engine having means for vvarying the quantity of fuel delivered to each cylinder per cyclea governor driven bythe engine and effective to control the fuel supply means, said governor including a speed-adjusting spring, a piston abutment for the spring, a cylinder encompassing the piston abutment and having stops for limiting motion thereof to high and low spring compression positions, and means for controlling the application of uid pressure to the cylinder to effect movement of the piston abutment to either one position or the other.

GEORGE H. PAULIN. FRANCIS H. HORNER. 

